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Union Calendar No. 472 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2914 

[Report No. 116–574] 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected by major 

disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself and Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure 

NOVEMBER 16, 2020 

Additional sponsors: Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. CARBAJAL, 

Ms. NORTON, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, and Mr. MCNERNEY

NOVEMBER 16, 2020 

Reported with an amendment; committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 22, 2019] 


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A BILL 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families 

affected by major disasters, and for other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Survivors of 

5 Major Disasters Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) FEMA.—The term ‘‘FEMA’’ means the Fed9 eral Emergency Management Agency. 

10 (2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis11 trator’’ means the Administrator of FEMA. 

12 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST13 ANCE. 

14 (a) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Notwithstanding any 

15 other provision of law, individuals and households described 

16 in subsection (c) may be eligible for assistance made avail17 able under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

18 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) in 

19 connection with a major disaster declared by the President 

20 under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including 

21 Hurricane Maria of 2017. 

22 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—Any assistance provided pursu23 ant to subsection (a) may include costs relating to obtaining 

24 title for a property described in subsection (c)(1), including 


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1 the cost of land surveys and any other taxes or fees associ2 ated with obtaining the title for such property. 

3 (c) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS OR HOUSEHOLDS.—With 

4 respect to a major disaster declared by the President under 

5 section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

6 Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), an individual 

7 or household described in this subsection is an individual 

8 or household who— 

9 (1) is residing on a property located in the area 

10 for which the major disaster was declared but does not 

11 have documented ownership rights to such property 

12 and is not renting such property; or 

13 (2) is or was residing in an area for which a 

14 major disaster has been declared by the President 

15 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

16 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

17 5170), during the designated incident period, includ18 ing residing in any housing accommodation or prop19 erty upon which a housing accommodation is located, 

20 including any living quarters, boardinghouse, bunk21 house, manufactured home, mobile home, or travel 

22 trailer. 

23 (d) EVIDENCE.— 

24 (1) CONSIDERATION.—In making a determina25 tion to provide assistance pursuant to this Act, the 


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1 Administrator shall consider a wide range of evi2 dence. 

3 (2) ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EVIDENCE.—In de4 termining if an individual or household is eligible for 

5 assistance pursuant to this Act, the Administrator 

6 shall accept either a declarative statement or the pres7 entation of at least one item of alternative evidence, 

8 including the following: 

9 (A) A utility (including gas, electric, sewer, 

10 or water) bill with the name and address of the 

11 individual. 

12 (B) A merchant’s statement (including a 

13 credit card, delivery notice, or first class mail) 

14 with the name and address of the individual. 

15 (C) A pay stub from an employer with the 

16 name and address of the individual. 

17 (D) A current driver’s license or State18 issued identification card of the individual. 

19 (E) The deed or title for the applicable 

20 property. 

21 (F) A mortgage payment booklet or another 

22 mortgage document. 

23 (G) Property title of mobile home certificate 

24 of title. 

25 (H) A real estate property tax receipt. 


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1 (I) A school registration containing the ad2 dress of self, child, or children. 

3 (J) A will and testament with the name 

4 and address of the individual. 

5 (K) In a State that does not require a will 

6 and testament for the transfer of immovable 

7 property, a death certificate and birth certificate 

8 that establishes an automatic transfer of legal 

9 ownership. 

10 (L) Medical records that list the name and 

11 address of the individual. 

12 (M) A charitable donation receipt that list 

13 the name and address of the individual. 

14 (N) Any other documentation, certification, 

15 identification, or proof of occupancy or owner16 ship not included on this list that can reasonably 

17 link the individual requesting assistance to the 

18 applicable property. 

19 SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT. 

20 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 

22 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

23 shall create, in coordination with the appropriate au24 thorities of the applicable jurisdiction, and distribute, 

25 where necessary, a declarative statement form that an 


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1 applicant for assistance provided pursuant to section 

2 3 may use to self-certify such applicant’s eligibility 

3 for assistance pursuant to this Act. 

4 (2) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The Ad5 ministrator may not require the declarative statement 

6 form created under paragraph (1) to require notariza7 tion by the applicant. 

8 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—A declarative statement form cre9 ated under subsection (a)(1) is exempt from publication no10 tice, public comment periods, and agency information col11 lection review and approval by the Office of Management 

12 and Budget required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 

13 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

14 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

15 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall provide 

16 written notification and guidance to employees of FEMA 

17 regarding the requirements of this Act. 

18 (d) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 

19 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 

20 (1) make the declarative statement form created 

21 under subsection (a)(1) available in Spanish and 

22 English at all active Disaster Recovery Centers; and 

23 (2) publish in English, Spanish, and any other 

24 locally predominant languages on the website of 

25 FEMA and on social media the declarative statement 


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1 form and instructions on how applicants can reopen 

2 or seek further appeal of relevant determinations. 

3 (e) PAST DISASTERS.—For applicants of assistance 

4 provided pursuant to section 3 since January 1, 2017, the 

5 Administrator shall provide an applicant not fewer than 

6 180 days to submit the declarative statement form to reopen 

7 or appeal a case after such applicant has received notice 

8 of the right to do so. 

9 SEC. 5. REPAIR AND REBUILDING. 

10 Section 408(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

11 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amend12 ed— 

13 (1) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) by striking ‘‘to a safe 

14 and sanitary living or functioning condition’’ and in15 serting ‘‘to ensure that such residences are habitable 

16 during longer term recovery (including through co17 ordination with other sources for repair and rebuild18 ing of such residences)’’; and 

19 (2) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘in cases in 

20 which’’ and all that follows through the end and in21 serting ‘‘if the President determines such assistance is 

22 a cost effective alternative to other housing solutions, 

23 including the costs associated with temporary housing 

24 provided under this section.’’. 


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1 SEC. 6. POST-DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE ANALYSIS 

2 AND REPORT. 

3 (a) ANALYSIS.—The Administrator, in coordination 

4 with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 

5 shall conduct an analysis comparing the costs, benefits, and 

6 effectiveness of assistance provided under the Disaster Hous7 ing Assistance Program, including any case management 

8 services provided, with other temporary housing options 

9 provided by the Administrator under the Robert T. Stafford 

10 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

11 5121 et seq.). 

12 (b) PROVISION OF DATA.—The Secretary shall ensure 

13 that public housing authorities engaged in carrying out the 

14 Disaster Housing Assistance Program relay data con15 cerning the extent and effectiveness of case management 

16 services in transitioning individuals and households toward 

17 self-sufficiency under the Program compared to other alter18 native disaster assistance programs available under the 

19 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist20 ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 

21 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

22 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 

23 to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

24 the House of Representatives and the Committee on Home25 land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 

26 report that contains the analysis required under subsection 


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1 (a) and an analysis of the oversight mechanisms, program 

2 integrity checks, and financial management measures uti3 lized in carrying out the Program compared to alternative 

4 disaster housing assistance programs under the Robert T. 

5 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

6 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 


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pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 472 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2914 

[Report No. 116–574] 

A BILL 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for 

other purposes. families affected by major disasters, and for 

NOVEMBER 16, 2020 

Reported with an amendment; committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS